An Unwelcome Guest
by Run Bad Wolf
Summary: Andromeda recieves a visit from someone she never expected.


A/N: There may some formatting issues here, but I'm trying to fix them.

Disclaimer: Nothing you recognise is mine.

When Andromeda heard the knock at the door, the last person she had expected to find was Narcissa Malfoy. She hadn't seen her younger sister for over eight years. The only time she'd heard from her since marrying Ted had been last Christmas; Narcissa had sent a card bearing a very formal family portrait of herself, her husband and a baby, asleep in his mother's arms. All was written inside was "Seasons greetings, from Lucius, Narcissa and Draco". Andromeda **had** discarded it immediately.

"Oh... um... hello," she managed, eloquent as always.

"Can I come in?" Narcissa said, stiffly. Andromeda nodded tersely and held open the door. Her sister stalked past her, looking around the small hallway in disgust. Andy resisted the urge to roll her eyes. The tiny cottage was a far cry from the mansion the Black sisters had grown up in. However, her and Ted were barely scraping by and she had grown to love it. She led her sister through to the living room and gestured for her to sit down. Narcissa sat down on an armchair gingerly.

"Will this take long?" Andromeda said icily.

"I hope not," the blonde replied, equally cold. "It all depends on you."

"I'll make some tea then."

"Mummy, mummy, mummy, look - oh!" Nymphadora froze at the sight of the strange woman. Narcissa glared at the little girl and Andromeda bit back a smirk. Her daughter was dressed in a glittering fairy dress, complete with wings and plastic wand, and her hair was waist length and neon blue.

"It's okay, baby," Andy said, scooping up her daughter. "She's here to talk to me."

Dora twisted in her mother's arms to look at Narcissa, who glared back. Andromeda went into the kitchen and sat Nymphadora on the counter.

"Mummy, who is that?" she asked. Her mother hesitated, busying herself with making tea. She put a pan of water on the stove and turned to face the little girl.

"That's my little sister," she said eventually. Dora crinkled her nose.

"Really, Mummy? Why hasn't she come before?"

Andromeda sighed. How was she supposed to explain to a four year old that her mother's family hated her and her father because of something they couldn't control?

"Because... because she's not a very nice person." It was a weak reason, but her daughter nodded. Andy put tea leaves in two tea balls and poured boiling water into the mugs. Ted always laughed at her refusal to use tea bags, but she preferred this method. He would joke that she never really lost the arrogance that came with being a Black; it just showed itself in bizarre ways, such as a need to make everything from scratch. He wasn't wrong.

"Do you want some chocolate milk?" she asked Dora, searching for a change of subject.

"Ooh, yes, please!" Dora grinned. "But I thought that was only for special occasions?"

"I'm sure we can break the rules, just this once," Andromeda smiled. In truth, it was an apology for whatever her sister was about to say. She knew Narcissa all too well to know it would be pleasant. Andromeda added milk to the two mugs and Dora's sippy cup, before putting them all on a tray with some of the cookies they'd baked earlier that afternoon.

Then she picked her daughter up again and went back into the living room, levitating the tray in front of her.

Narcissa looked up when they reentered the room. Her eyes landed on Nymphadora's hair and she glared again.

"Why is your child's hair that colour?" she snarled. Andromeda handed her a mug and sat down on the sofa. She pulled her daughter onto her lap protectively, before answering.

"She's a Metamorphmagus," Andy said cautiously. She wasn't sure on the Black family view on shapeshifters, but it probably wasn't good. To prove her point, Dora scrunched up her face and her hair turned a bright purple.

"Oh. How... unique," Narcissa stammered. Andromeda raised her eyebrows. It sounded as if her sister was really making an effort to be nice. She should probably return the favour.

"What did you want to talk to me about?"

"Mother is seriously ill," Cissy replied. "The Healers don't think she has long."

"Oh no! That's awful," Andy cried. "What's wrong with her?"

"Cancer, they think," the younger woman replied.

"But, I don't understand... why do you need me?" Andromeda had trained as a Healer as soon as she left Hogwarts, but worked in the Potions and Plant Poisoning ward. She had no experience with cancer.

"She wants to see you," Narcissa said.

"She... she what!?"

"She wants to see you," she repeated calmly. "You and I are all she has

left."

Andromeda frowned. This was true; Bellatrix and Sirius were in Azkaban and Regulus was dead. However, it didn't explain why her mother would suddenly change her views on blood 'purity'.

"What's the catch?" she asked, suspiciously.

"Well, obviously you'd have to explain that you were tricked into marrying the mudblood. A love potion or something."

"Do you mean Daddy?" Nymphadora piped up. "'Cos that's not very nice."

"Of course I do, you stupid girl," Narcissa glowered. Andromeda tightened her arms around her daughter protectively.

"Don't you dare talk her like that!" she snarled. Narcissa was saved from responding by the sound of the front door opening.

"Daddy!" Dora squealed. She wiggled out of her mother's arms and ran out of the room.

"Hey, princess!" Ted said, cheerfully.

"I'm a fairy, Daddy, not a princess!" Nymphadora corrected, crossly.

"Of course you are. So, how was your day?"

"Great! Me and mummy did numbers and letters and then we made biscuits and then we went to the park!" she said all in one breath.

"Wow! Where's mummy now?"

"She's talking to the nasty lady," Dora said sadly.

"What nasty lady?" Ted said, as he entered the room with Nymphadora in his arms. "Oh."

"Good evening," Narcissa said stiffly. Ted inclined his head tersely, and glanced at his wife.

"Mother's ill. Narcissa was just telling me about how I could see her again if I explain that I was tricked into marrying you," she supplied.

"I see. What are you going to do?"

"Well, obviously I'm going to give up my loving husband and daughter so I can spend a week arguing with my mother," Andromeda explained. Her voice was dripping with sarcasm, and it wasn't lost on Narcissa.

"If that's how you feel, then I'll be leaving." She stood up and swept out of the room, and they heard the front door slam.

"Mummy, you ain't really gonna go, are you?" Dora said tearfully, holding out her arms for a hug.

"Of course not, baby," she said, wrapping her arms around Ted and Nymphadora.

"Dora! Dora, wake up," Ted hissed. His daughter yawned and looked up at him blearily.

"Whasgoinon?"

"We're going to make Mummy breakfast to make her feel better," he replied.

"What's the matter with Mummy?" she said, eyes wide.

"She's very sad at the moment."

"Why is she sad?" Dora frowned.

"Because her Mummy is very sick at the moment," Ted responded, carefully. As they had been talking, Ted had carried Nymphadora downstairs and into the kitchen. He put her down on the counter, in the same place her mother had put her a week before. He took two eggs out the fridge and cracked them in a bowl.

"Can you put some bread in the toaster?" he asked, as he began to weigh flour. Dora leant over and took two slices of bread and put them in the toaster.

"Like that?" she asked, brightly. Without waiting for an answer, she pushed the button down. Ted grimaced. One slice was lying on its side and would toast properly. However,the other was sitting upright and a bit was sticking out the top. But, Dora looked so pleased with herself that her couldn't bear to tell her. Instead he nodded. While waiting for the toast to pop, Ted added flour and milk and began to whisk the batter. He poured the finished batter into a pan, before taking the butter and strawberry jam out.

"Can I do it, Daddy? Please?" Dora pleaded.

"Okay," he said. "But be very careful."

He handed her the bluntest knife he could find, just as the toast popped up. He placed it on the breadboard, which he then placed in the counter with the jam and butter. He took a chair from the table and stood it next to the counter so Nymphadora could stand on it. Dora stabbed the knife in the butter and begin trying to spread it on the toast. Ted groaned. He turned back to the pancake batter and began to flip them. When all the batter was cooked, he began making a pot of tea.

"Daddy, look!" Dora cried delightedly. Ted looked at the toast his daughter was holding out to him. There were lumps of butter and jam dotted around and several holes where she'd stuck the knife right through. It was the worst toast Ted had ever seen.

"Your Mum will love it, sweetie," he laughed, putting the plate on a tray. He added the pancakes, the teapot and some mugs. "Come on, you."

He scooped her up and swung her round onto his shoulders. Dora squealed and grabbed his hair, laughing. He picked up the tray and slowly started walking back upstairs. Nudging the door open with his foot, Ted glanced over at his wife. She was still curled up in a ball, exactly where he left her. Ted put the tray down on the dresser and swept Nymphadora down from his shoulders. Immediately, she ran off and jumped up on the bed beside her mother.

"Mummy! Mummy, wake up, Mummy!"

Andromeda open her eyes sleepily and sat up. Dora plonked herself down on her lap, giving her mother a sticky, strawberry jam scented cuddle. Andromeda smiled, hugging her daughter back.

"Me and Daddy made you breakfast 'coz you're sad. I made you toast with butter and strawberry jam, all by myself," Dora announced. Andromeda raised an eyebrow.

"All by yourself?"

"Daddy helped a little bit," she admitted.

"Daddy wanted to help a lot more," Ted smiled, handing his wife the plate.

"Oh... wow," Andromeda said, startled.

"Don' cha like it?" Dora asked, eyes filling with tears. Andy put the plate down and cuddled her tight.

"No, baby, it's beautiful," she smiled. To prove her point, she took a bite and held her thumbs up. Dora grinned. Ted sat down on the bed next to her, holding out his arms to Nymphadora. She scrambled across to his lap so he was free to give the tray to his wife.

"While Dora was making your toast, I was making you a Tonks' Family Special! These pancakes made from a very secret family recipe that has been passed down through the generations." As Andromeda continued to look unconvinced, Ted waved a knife and fork in her face. "Try it if you don't believe me. Best pancakes you'll ever have!"

Andromeda laughed, and took a bite. As her eyes widen in surprise, Ted can't help his smug expression.

Later that day, a snooty eagle owl arrives for Andromeda. It has a brief letter in Narcissa's writing, announcing Druella's death that morning. Ted takes one look at his wife's face, and understands immediately. He crosses the room and pulls her into a tight hug. Nymphadora runs to her mother as quickly as she can, and hugs her leg.

"Don' cry, Mummy," she says firmly. "We're gonna look after ya."

A/N: I know Tonks was born in 1973, and she would have been 8 when this story takes place. However, I wanted her to be young enough for her parents to still be able to carry her around etc. and for her to be at an age where she doesn't understand the concept of blood purity, or even know that it exists. But, at the same time, I didn't think Narcissa would come to Andromeda unless there was literally no one else left. So I decided to ignore canon completely.


End file.
